Apparatus for converting, storing, and utilizing wind-power.



No. 690,794. Patented Ian. 7, I902.

P. F. THEDE. APPARATUS FOR CONVERTING, STORING, AND UTILIZING WINDPOWER.

!App1icabion filed Jan. 30, moi.

(N o M o d e I.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PETER F. THEDE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE GENERAL PNEUMATICCOMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF.

ILLINOIS.

APPARATUS FOR CONVERTING, STORING, AND UTILIZING WIND-POWER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 690,794, dated January7, 1902. Application filed January 30, 1901l Serial No. 45,357. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PETER 'F. THEDE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Converting,Storing, and Utilizing Wind-Power, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to apparatus for converting, transmitting, andutilizing the power of the wind by means of successive compressions ofair to attain the same in ahigh state of compression for utilization forany desired purpose.

The invention consists in certain features and details of constructionand combinations ofparts, which will be hereinafter more fully describedand claimed. V

In the drawing forming part of this specification the figure thereof isa diagrammatic View illustrative of my invention.

I have shown in the drawing three windmotors 1 2 3, the same being ofany suitable or preferred form and construction and located at intervalsapart. I prefer that each of said motors be separated from the nextadjacent ones by a distance of approximately two hundred feet. Whilethree of these motors have been shown, it is obvious that a greater orless number may be employed.

The motor 1 is connected with. and operates an air-compressor 4 of anysuitable or preferred construction, the motor 2 is connected with andoperates an air-compressor 5, and the motor 3 is connected with and0perates an air-compressor 6. The connection between each of said motorsand the air-compressor which each operates is by way of a vertical shaft7, driven from the power-wheel 8 and having a pinion 9 upon its lowerend which meshes with a pinion 10 on 'a horizontal shaft 11. The saidshaft 11 is provided with a drum or pulley 12, around which passes abelt 13. Said belt also passes around a wheel or pulley 14, mounted on acounter-shaft and connected withthe piston-rod 15 -of the aircompressor.The inlet-opening 16 of the com.- pressor 4 communicates with theatmosphere, and the compressors 4 and 5 are connected by a pipe orconduit made up of the sections discharged for any suitable purpose.

17 and 18, with the air-receiver 19 interposed .between them. Adjacentto the point of entrance of the pipe or section 18 with the com- 24,which communicates with a storage tank or container 25, into which thecompressed air is finally delivered and from which it is As thedifferent wind-motors 1, 2, and 3 are separated bya distance ofapproximately two hundred feet, the communicating pipes between thedifferent compressors 4, 5, and 6 and between the compressor 6 and thestorage-tank 25are also approximately two hundred feet in length. Y

In operating my improved apparatus the valves 19 and 23 are first closedand then the wind-motor 1 is started. This action causes the compressor4 to be actuated, the same drawing in atmospheric air through. the inlet16 and compressing the same, so that it is raised to, say, twenty poundsgage-pressure. This air passing from the compressor 4 fills theconnections 17, 18, and 19 between the compressors 4 and 5, and as thesaid connections'17, 18, and 19 are exposed to the outside currents ofatmosphericair the heat generated by the compression in the compressor 4is quickly dissipated or absorbed, with the result that when the airunder pressure reaches the valve 19*, adjacent to the compressor 5, ithas been lowered down to the temperature of atmospheric air. Anymoisture that may be contained in the compressed air from the compressor4 is precipitated and trapped in the air-receiver 19, from which it maybe drawnoff by any suitable means. As soon as the connections betweenthe compressors 4 and 5 have been filled with air at twenty poundsgage-pressure, or thereabout, the motor 2 is thrown into operation andthe valve 19 is opened. The airattwenty pounds gage-pressure is thenadmitted to the second I03 end of the coinpressorifi is a pipe orconduit compressor 5, where it is subjected to a second compression andraised to, say, fifty pounds gage pressure. Passing from the compressor5 the air enters the connections 20, 21, and 22 between the compressors5 and 6 until these connections are filled with air at fifty poundsgage-pressure, or thereabout. In passing from the compressor 5 to thevalve 23 in the pipe-section 21a distance of two hundred feet,orthereabout-the temperature of the air is reduced to that of atmosphericair, and any moisture that may be contained therein is condensed andtrapped in the receiver 22, from which itmay be drawn off by anysuitable means. As soon as the connections between the compressors 5 and6 are filled with air at fifty pounds gage-pressure the motor 3 isthrown into operation and the valve 23 opened, admitting the air whichhas been previously compressed into the compressor (3. In this lattercompressor it is subjected to an additional compression and raised to,say, eighty-five pounds gage-pressure, and from this compressor itpasses through the pipe 24 to the final storage-tank or container 25. Asthe pipe 2t is subjected to the currents of atmospheric air and as it isof considerable lengthapproximately two hundred feetthe heat generatedby the compression in the compressor 6 is ,soon dissipated or absorbedand the air in the pipe 24 is reduced to the temperature of atmosphericair.

It will thus be seen that by my apparatus I am enabled to utilize thepowerof the wind to successively compress atmospheric air and finallyobtain the samein a highly-compressed state in the storage-tank orcontainer, from which it may be drawn for utilization for refrigeratingpurposes, manufacture of liquid air, or driving of compressed-airmotors, or for the performance of any other work. Fu rthermore, by myapparatus I overcome the objection to prior compressed-air apparatus ofproviding artificial means for cooling the air after each compression.tus the cooling of the air after the compression thereof is effectedentirely by natural means by exposing the conduits through which the airpasses to the action of currents of atmospheric air. It should be statedin this connection that the diiferent air-compressors and the differentconnections be- By my apparaent motors will not be intercepted or cutoff by those motors which precede any particular one.

By locating the different motors at a great distance apartat, forexample, two hundred feet apartI provide. means not only whereby theconnect ing-pipes between the different air-compressors may be subjectedto the action of atmospheric air throughout the greatest possibleextent, but also provide means whereby any currents of air which may bebroken up by impinging against one motor may have an opportunity ofreuniting before they reach the next motor.

The capacities of the different motors after the first conform to theratio of increase in the air compression, and the capacities of theair-compressors conform to the capacities of the wind-motors and to theratio of increase in the air compression in the different stagesthereof. The capacity of the connections between the differentcompressors corresponds with the capacity of the different compressorswith which they connect.

While I have shown and described three motors and three air-compressorsconnected therewith and operated thereby, I do not limit myself to thisexact number of these parts, as they may be increased indefinitely ordecreased.

An important point of advantage of my construction in which a series ofwind-motors is employed isthat I am enabled to obtain an immediateaccumulation of power, which cannot be done by a single motor, exceptafter an appreciable lapse of time.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination with a series of wind-motors arranged at great intervalsapart, of a series of air-compressors respectively connected with andindependently operated by said motors, the first compressor of theseries communicating with and drawing in air from the atmosphere, valvedconnections between each successive pair of said compressors, the saidconnections being exposed to the atmosphere, a storage-tank located at adistance from the last compressor of the series, a pipe or conduitconnecting said storage-tank with said last compressor of the series andexposed to the atmosphere, and a covering for said pipe, saidstorage-tank and said connections, the said covering being located ashort distance above these parts, so as to protect the same, whilepermitting them to be acted upon by the currents of air.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

PETER F; TIIEDE.

\Vitnesses:

WM. M. TOCKBRIDGE, GEO. W. REA.

